UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Interview #332
BENJAMIN R. LAWTON

LAWTON, Benjamin R. (1922-1987)
Undergraduate and Graduate Student; Member and President of Board of Regents
At UW: 1940-1944; 1948-1952; 1954-1986

Interview: 	1987
Interviewer:	Self-Recorded Audio tape (via Laura Smail)
Indexed by:	Marcus Bacher
Length: 	40 minutes
Series: 	Merger

Undergraduate life in 1940s; Financing education; Recollections of instructors; Assessment of UW System presidents during his tenure as regent; Regents and politics; Treatment of Madison campus under Merger; Salary catch-up issue.  Treatment of Madison campus under merger; salary catch-up issue; presidential appointments.

Note:  Dr. Lawton taped replies to written questions when he was already very ill.  His secretary transcribed the tape.  

Tape 1/Side 1

00:00:00	Benjamin Lawton (BL) discusses entering University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1940, and living on a budget with his brother.  

00:03:57	Switching major from pre-law to pre-med.  BL discusses various jobs he worked around the city, financing his education, his wife’s medical illnesses, and student loans.  

00:09:53	BL discusses influential professors: Dr. Wolfe in Zoology, Dr. McElvain in organic chemistry.  BL did not establish strong relationships with many professors.  Difficulty juggling work and classes.  

00:13:38	BL talks about his time as a regent.  John Weaver was a good scholar, but was not an effective chancellor.  Ed Young was a “Madison person”, and BL held him in high regard.  

00:17:00	Bob O’Neil hiring marked a turning point in merger concept.  Excellent scholar and workaholic, but unable or unwilling to delegate.  Thinks well of Dr. Shaw, but cannot judge his performance in such a short time.  

00:19:50	BL discusses notable contributions of the university president staff members including Reuben Lorenz, Bob Winter and Joe Kauffman.  

00:22:20	Friction between the UW System President and UW-Madison chancellor.  President O’Neil and Chancellor Shain.  Discussing the differences between serving under Democratic and Republican governors.  

00:29:46	Dean Cronon’s concern about Madison fees.  BL discusses perceived favoritism towards the Madison campus.

00:32:11	Appointment of Ed Young as president.  Special Committee for Faculty Compensation.  President O’Neil management.  Personal attacks aside, BL felt he did what was best for the UW System.  

00:37:09	Relations with President O’Neil.  Opinions on appointment of Dr. Shaw.  BL shares ongoing concerns about student access, tuition, quality of education.  Grateful for his career as regent serving the University and state of Wisconsin.  

00:40:06	End of Tape.  End of Oral History #332.  

END